A distinct need exists in the metal rolling industry, paper making industry, and in other web manufacturing fields for a simple, economical and efficient means to constantly monitor the shape of the product as it is being formed and without the necessity for stopping the mill or other web processing machinery for flatness inspection of the product, as has been customary in the prior art.
Traditionally, a variety of rather haphazard and inefficient procedures have been utilized in metal rolling mills and similar web forming machines to periodically check on the relative flatness of the product. One such procedure is to stop the mill and remove a section of metal from the web and lay it on a flat surface to observe the degree of flatness of the web. Such a procedure is not only crude but costly in time, material and labor, and gives only a random sampling of the flatness characteristics of the web at irregular intervals along it.
Ideally, a flatness monitoring system should continuously check the flatness of the moving web or strip while the same is moving across its entire width and without parts of the monitoring system coming into physical contact with the web to scratch, tear or otherwise damage it. Furthermore, the monitoring means should be capable of providing an immediate and direct indication of the shape of the product, its flatness, or lack of flatness, so that proper corrective steps can be taken in the manufacturing process, such as changing roll tension, increasing or decreasing web coolant, in the case of metal stock, and other like steps.
With the above need in mind, the present invention seeks to satisfy the ideal by providing a flatness monitoring means or "meter" for a metal web in a rolling mill or a similar product which provides a direct visual display of the flatness condition of the product continuously without the need for stopping the processing machinery or establishing any physical contact with the product. The monitoring procedure can be carried out on either side of the web and only one side needs to be monitored or scanned by the monitoring or sensing probes of the apparatus. The composition of the strip or web has no effect on the proper operation of the flatness monitoring means. The apparatus employed for the invention is of simple design utilizing some commercially available components and parts which are plugged into a common header or manifold for easy replacement and repair. The apparatus is also reasonably rugged and durable and does not require great skill to install, adjust and maintain.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.